As a newcomer to the sport, the 16-year-old British runner sets her sights on the World Cross in Belgrade this weekend

Had it not been for lockdown, Eliza Nicholson would still be auditioning for West End performances, yet she now finds herself preparing to compete in the World Cross Country Championships this weekend.

During the Covid pandemic, the 16-year-old chose to leave her performing arts background and take up running as a way of keeping busy, seeing it as a fairer hobby.

The Blackheath and Bromley athlete is one of four under-20 women on the GB team ready to take on Belgrade.

The squad sees Innes FitzGerald, Jess Bailey and Natasha Phillips complete the team.

Nicholson has seen considerable success in cross country this season, finishing as the runner-up behind FitzGerald in both the Inter-Counties and English Schools Championships

The Commonwealth Youth Games bronze medallist has set her sights on future marathons and opportunities at American universities.

AW chats exclusively to Nicholson below:

How does it feel to compete at World Cross and how will you approach the race?

Its everything I could have ever wanted, I feel like the hard training has paid off.

Going into Belgrade I really want to focus more on doing really well as a team, because obviously I am going to do the best I possibly can but with the incredible standards of everyone I think we can do well as a team, especially with Innes [FitzGerald] coming.

I am going to try and enjoy it as much as I can and do as well as I can because it is the last cross country race of the season.

How did you first get into running competitively?

My sister used to run for a club, and she is five years older than me so I would always look up to her. It wasnt until lockdown when I started running pretty much every day because I was bored and wanted to do something useful with my time.

I then went back to school and I did the 800m at sports day and I was like, what happened, I did quite well and then I joined an athletics club.

I did one track season, I hated it and I literally got last at English Schools. Fast forward a year later I was at the Commonwealth Youth Games and to think that I am in a GB team now, I would not have believed it. It has all happened so quickly.

My first cross country race was in Year 5 and I would go because you got a free doughnut afterwards. I would come last but I loved it for a day off of school.

If it wasnt for lockdown I dont think I would have started running but I am so glad I did and I am so grateful for it.

What was your performing arts background like and do you miss it?

From the age of five I was obsessed with singing and performing and I ended up doing a lot of auditions. I started auditioning for Matilda in the West End and that was my main focus for so long.

I dont really know what happened. I think part of it was lockdown but also it is so competitive. What I love about running is that it is so fair, its first over the line whereas in performing arts its about how you look and so many different factors.

I think at such a young age you are constantly getting turned down and if you are not getting roles it is really hard to keep motivated and to keep going.

It will always be a part of me, I still love going to watch musicals. I wouldnt go back to it but I am glad I did it and it was a great experience.

How do you reflect on winning 3000m bronze at the Commonwealth Youth Games last year?

It was the most incredible experience and I think that is what motivated me so much to trial for Belgrade, having that proper team. That was the first proper team experience I ever had and the people I met are genuinely friends for life.

I loved being in a hotel with every single other country in the Commonwealth, it was a once in a lifetime experience but hopefully there are many more to come.

How does it feel to compete against an athlete like Innes FitzGerald?

I have so much respect for her, she is genuinely incredible. I remember my first year at English Schools she lapped me in the 3000m and that was when she won it and went on to break the championship record [9:21.34] and I was almost last [10:22.67]. The fact that I am on a team with her now is just ridiculous.

I went through a period of being the underdog and now to have had a few consecutive races coming second to her is crazy. I quite like how the spotlight is not all on me, I feel like I can go have fun with it and experiment.

Who do you look up to and feel inspired by?

I think Liz McColgan and Eilish McColgan are just incredible. The fact that she [Liz] went on and broke records just months after having her daughter was so cool. Ive watched their documentary and they have so much grit and determination.

The longer distances is what really excites me going forward. I would love to try more 10,000ms and maybe eventually do a marathon but it is fun to just build gradually and see where you can go.

What are you aiming towards this outdoor track season?

The European Under-18 Championships would be amazing and there is also the World Under-20 Championships at the end of August. I think for now I am going to focus on Euros because that is earlier and it is more achievable, so that would probably be for the 3000m.

I will do my best for the World U20 Champs but I am going to try and enjoy it and not put too much pressure on it. I am going to do my first track 5000m and do the Comeback 5000 at Battersea Park in April, which is a really competitive race.

What is the ultimate goal?

The ultimate goal would be to run at an Olympic Games. I would love to be good at the 10,000m distance but that closing lap is really fast. I feel like realistically the marathon is going to be where my strength is but there is a very long way to go before I build up to that.

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I want to go to university to get a good degree, and I am actually looking at American universities for a once in a lifetime experience. I would love to try and do more social media and inspire younger athletes too.